Zhongde Color Sorter Revolutionizes Traditional Chinese Medicine Sorting Process, Enables Efficient and Precise Screening of Astragalus and Licorice
Press Release Date: April 15, 2026
With the rapid development of the global health industry, the demand in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) raw material market has been increasing year by year, and quality control standards for medicinal materials are becoming increasingly stringent. Against this backdrop, traditional manual sorting methods can no longer meet the demands of large-scale, high-standard production. As a leading enterprise in the field of intelligent sorting technology in China, Xingtai Zhongde Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., leveraging its independently developed Zhongde brand color sorters, has achieved breakthrough progress in the TCM sorting sector. Particularly in the fine sorting of common herbs like Astragalus (Huangqi) and Licorice (Gancao), the company has realized dual improvements in both efficiency and accuracy.
TCM, a treasure of Chinese culture, has its efficacy and quality directly related to the safety and effectiveness of clinical application. However, during the harvesting and processing of TCM materials, impurities such as pieces with differing colors, mold, deterioration, or non-medicinal parts are often mixed in. Traditional manual sorting relying on visual identification is not only labor-intensive and inefficient but also susceptible to subjective factors, leading to poor sorting consistency. Addressing this industry pain point, Xingtai Zhongde Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. conducted in-depth research and integrated advanced optical recognition, artificial intelligence algorithms, and high-precision ejection technology to launch a series of color sorter solutions specifically tailored for the characteristics of TCM materials.
The Zhongde TCM Color Sorter employs industry-leading multispectral imaging technology, capable of accurately capturing subtle differences in the color, shape, and texture of medicinal material surfaces. Taking Astragalus as an example, the machine can quickly distinguish high-quality slices with normal color and intact shape from substandard pieces that have darkened due to oxidation, bear black spots, or contain mixed root debris. For Licorice, the system can effectively identify pieces with uneven coloration, traces of insect damage, or the inclusion of other plant impurities. By allowing custom setting of sorting parameters, customers can flexibly adjust the sensitivity and strictness of the equipment according to different herb varieties and grade requirements, ensuring that each batch of outgoing medicinal materials meets or even exceeds pharmacopoeia standards.
Beyond the advantages of its core recognition technology, the Zhongde Color Sorter is designed with full consideration for the unique production environment of the TCM industry. The equipment features a fully enclosed structure, effectively preventing dust overflow and complying with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) requirements for production cleanliness. Key contact components are made of food-grade stainless steel or treated with special coatings to avoid secondary contamination of the medicinal materials. Furthermore, the modular design facilitates easier cleaning and maintenance, significantly reducing equipment downtime and operational costs.
Recently, a large domestic TCM decoction piece manufacturer introduced several Zhongde Color Sorters for the upgrade of its Astragalus slice production line. The project manager reported that after the equipment was put into operation, sorting efficiency increased nearly 20-fold compared to the previous manual process, with an hourly processing capacity reaching several thousand kilograms. The impurity removal rate remained stable above 99.5%, significantly enhancing the grade and market value of the finished slices. More importantly, automated sorting replaced a large amount of repetitive manual labor, reducing the company's labor costs and management difficulties, and making the production process more standardized and traceable.
The technical lead at Xingtai Zhongde Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. stated, "We are committed to integrating cutting-edge intelligent sensing technology into traditional industries. In the TCM field, the Zhongde Color Sorter is not just a sorting device; it is a crucial link in ensuring the authenticity and medication safety of medicinal materials. In the future, we will continue our research and development to expand the machine's sorting capabilities for more precious, fragmented, or irregularly shaped herbs, contributing technological strength to the modernization and internationalization of the entire TCM industry."
With the deepening advancement of the "Healthy China 2030" plan, the intelligent upgrade of the TCM industry is an inevitable trend. Driven by innovation, Xingtai Zhongde Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. is positioning its Zhongde Color Sorter as a reliable partner for an increasing number of TCM enterprises seeking to enhance their core competitiveness and ensure product quality, injecting powerful technological momentum into the high-quality development of the industry.
